Item - 2009.SC24.17

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1.         City Council endorse the Scarborough Centre Civic Precinct Implementation Plan generally as illustrated on Attachment 1.

2.         City Council advance the implementation of the Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan for the Civic Precinct by:

a.         directing Facilities and Real Estate, City Planning and other relevant City Divisions to work with the Toronto Public Library to facilitate the construction of the Toronto Public Library Scarborough Centre Branch;

b.         encouraging the Toronto District School Board to work cooperatively with the City and other stakeholders with respect to achieving the objectives of the Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan as illustrated in the Scarborough Centre Civic Precinct Implementation Plan, and, in particular, the enhancement of the Civic Centre forecourt on Borough Drive;

c.         directing Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, Cultural Services and City Planning, to develop a preliminary design and budget for the proposed sculpture garden, including necessary relocation of Civic Centre sculptures, as identified on the Scarborough Centre Civic Precinct Implementation Plan, Attachment 1, and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

d.         encouraging the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) to establish a municipal parking facility within the Civic Precinct;

e.         directing Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff to update the 1989 Woodlot Management and Restoration Plan as required, and develop an implementation strategy and report back, if necessary, to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

f.          directing Facilities & Real Estate and Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff, in consultation with City Planning, to initiate a process whereby a qualified landscape architectural consultant is retained for the design and development of the expanded Albert Campbell Square, including new furnishings for the existing Square, so that implementation can occur when the City receives the strata land interest, and report back, if necessary;

g.         directing Facilities and Real Estate staff, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, City Planning and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), to develop a proposal for weather protection enhancements to the Galleria connecting Albert Campbell Square to the Scarborough Town Centre and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

h.         directing Transportation Services staff in consultation with the Ward Councillor and City Planning to examine the feasibility of reconfiguring Borough Approach East and Borough Approach West to allow for full-moves intersections at Ellesmere Road, and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

i.          directing Transportation Services and City Planning staff, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, to examine the feasibility of greening, enhancing and reconfiguring the Borough Drive public right-of-way between Town Centre Court and Brimley Road, and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

j.          directing Cultural Services staff, in consultation with City Planning, to develop a public art program for the public art areas identified on Attachment 1 and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

k.         directing Facilities and Real Estate staff, in consultation with City Planning and Transportation Services, to develop a signage and way-finding program for the Civic Precinct and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding;

l.          directing Facilities and Real Estate staff, in consultation with Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to investigate opportunities for creating a shower/gym facility in the Civic Precinct and report back as necessary to obtain the appropriate approvals and funding, and to explore the opportunity for partnerships with the YMCA for the use of gymnasium facilities;

m.        directing Facilities and Real Estate staff and other relevant City Divisions to continue to investigate the potential redevelopment of the Civic Centre parking garage at Borough Drive and Town Centre Court; and

n.         directing Transportation Services staff to fund the necessary works associated with the reconfiguration of Borough Drive East and West to allow for full-moves intersections at Ellesmere Road. This work should be included in the planned Transportation Services Capital Program major road resurfacing project that is planned for 2010 on this section of Ellesmere Road.

This report presents an implementation plan to achieve, over time, the policies and objectives outlined in the Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan for the Civic Precinct.  The Implementation Plan is illustrated in Attachment 1.

The initiatives recommended in this report support Council’s focus on investment in quality of life and the desire to build upon the important role that the Civic Precinct plays as a community within the Scarborough Centre and within Toronto.

The recommendations in this report have no financial impact.